Divine considerations treating of those things which are most profitable, most necessary and most perfect in our Christian profession by John Valdesso.

CONSID. CII.

That Christian faith hath necessity to be confirmed by experience: Of what kind the experience is, and how it is obtained.

BElieving being the foundation of the Christianity, which consists in accepting the generall pardon by the justice of God executed on Christ, it seems necessary, that a Christian should exercise himself in those considerations which appertain to believing. And so amongst other things which I have considered about be∣lieving, this is one, that a man never stands solid, and firm, and constant in the Christian faith, untill he have in himself some experience of that which he believes. And it is certain, that he holds so much firmnesse as he holds of experience in himself, and no more. It befalls us that believe the Gospel which happens to us

concerning a wise and spirituall man: that as whilest we believe the wisdome, and spiritualty of this man by relation of other men, we are so disposed, that other men coming, who make to us a contrary relation, we change the opini∣on which we had of him, or at least we doubt of it, untill having strict familiarity with such a man, we know by experience that the relation is true which was made to us, for as then no man is able to perswade us to the contrary: even so likewise whilest we believe that which the Gospell saith, that God punished all our sinnes in Christ, by their relation who preach the Gospell to us, we stand in hazard, that other Preachers coming, which should tell us the contrary, we shall believe in another manner, or at least we shall doubt of the first preach∣ing, untill that we by having experience of that which is preached unto us in the Gospell, stand firm, and constant in that which we believe, all the men of the world being unable either to change, or alienate our faith in any manner, after that it is confirmed by our own experi∣ence. Whence I understand that the first and principall intent, which we ought to have, who accept the Gospell, believing that in Christ God hath punished all our sinnes, is to get the experience of this, to the end that our faith be∣ing so confirmed, no man may be able to sever us from it, nor make us doubt thereof, or

stumble, as they are able to do, whilest our faith is not confirmed with experience. And if any man shall ask me, how the experience of faith is gotten? I answer, that then a man hath ex∣perience of that which he believes, when he hath peace in his conscience, it seeming to him that he can appear in the judgement of God, with that self same security wherewith he would have appeared, if he had lived with that inno∣cency wherewith Christ lived, and had by Gods will suffered that which Christ suffered. Furthermore I answer, that mortification and vivification are most efficacious experiences, by which our faith is confirmed, inasmuch as they onely who believe and know themselves just in Christ, have mortification and vivification. And if another shall ask me; saying, how shall I who believe do to confirm my faith with ex∣perience? I answer two things. The one, that he renounce all justifications that are without Christ, aswell those which consist in not doing, as those which consist in doing; and that em∣bracing himself onely with the justification which is in Christ, which doth consist in be∣lieving, he addresse himself with prayer and supplication to God, that he would make him feel the peace of conscience, that he would mortifie him, that he would make him alive, and the other, that he keep very strict account with himself, of his works, words and

thoughts, with intent to know in all these things how much mortification, and how much vivification he hath gotten; and with intent also to mortifie himself, and to make himself a∣live every day more and more, hereby inten∣ding to get this Christian experience, with which the Christian faith is confirmed. And to him that would consider, and know how he ought to do to renounce his own justifi∣cation, aswell those that consist in not doing as those which consist in doing; I say unto him, that those which consist in not doing, h•• shall renounce; knowing that if he do no•• kill, if he do not rob, if he be no fornica∣tour, if he do no injury to his neighbour, it i•• either because he is not inclined thereto, or be∣cause he fears the shame of the world, or th•• punishment wherewith such sinnes are puni¦shed in this life. And of this he may assur•• himself, considering that he forbears not to d•• other things, unto which he is inclined, whic•• are not so shamefull in the world, and are no•• punished in this life; such as are ambition▪ honour, self-satisfaction, and reputation. An•• I say unto him also, that the things which con¦sist in doing, he shall renounce; knowing o•• one side the superstition which he hath put i•• some of them, and on the other side the s•••• love with which he hath contaminated, an•• defiled the other. And thus he shall come 〈◊〉〈◊〉

these terms, that knowing himself in himself deprived, and dispoiled of all his own justi∣fication, he shall be constrained to comfort himself with that which the Gospel offers unto him, shewing unto him how God punished all our sinnes in his onely begotten sonne Jesus Christ our Lord.